Charles B. Shuman Papers, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1965, 1974, 1998 | University of Illinois Archives

Description: Papers of Charles B. Shuman (1907-99), B.S. '28 and M.S. '29, president of the Illinois Agricultural Association (1945-55) and the American Farm Bureau Federation (1954-71), including tape recordings of a lecture on "Secretaries of Agriculture as I Have Known Them" containing observations on agricultural policies and political leaders including Henry A. Wallace, Claude Wickard, Clinton Anderson, Charles Brannan, Ezra Benson, Orville Freeman, Clifford Hardin and Earl Butz and thoughts on the current status and policy needs of American agriculture and an interview containing comments on Shuman's impressions as a student in the College of Agriculture, the early growth and development of the Farm Bureau in Illinois and its relationship with the extension movement, agricultural adjustment problems and policies since World War I, political dynamics within the American Farm Bureau Federation and the power balance between sections, the influence of Farm Bureau leaders such as Ed O'Neal and Earl Smith, changes in Farm Bureau policies, Farm Bureau business enterprises, the free market system vs. the political system, the "devil theory" of farm problems, national farm organizations and cooperatives such as the milk producers, and political and agricultural leaders.  The collection also includes articles (1953, 1955, 1959) by and about Shuman including a Time magazine feature (September 3, 1965); a family "Reminisces" book (1998) written by Shuman and including autobiographical information; and a short bibliography of published material on the American Farm Bureau Federation.